The folk come in from the county fifty
miles off, and eat bread and treacle on the doorstep, so
as to be first in when the housekeeper comes down.
The medical officer of health made an official
complaint of the over-crowding of my waiting-rooms. They
wait in the stables, and sit along the racks and under
the horses' bellies. I'll turn some of 'em on to you, my
boy, and then you'll know a little more about it."
Well, all this puzzled me a good deal, as you can
imagine, Bertie; for, making every allowance for
Cullingworth's inflated way of talking, there must be
something at the back of it. I was thinking to myself
that I must keep my head cool, and have a look at
everything with my own eyes, when the carriage pulled up
and we got out.
"This is my little place," said Cullingworth.
It was the corner house of a line of fine buildings,
and looked to me much more like a good-sized hotel than
a private mansion. It had a broad sweep of steps leading
to the door, and towered away up to five or six stories,
with pinnacles and a flagstaff on the top. As a matter
of fact, I learned that before Cullingworth took it, it
had been one of the chief clubs in the town, but the
committee had abandoned it on account of the heavy rent.
A smart maid opened the door; and a moment later I
was shaking hands with Mrs. Cullingworth, who was all
kindliness and cordiality. She has, I think, forgotten
the little Avonmouth business, when her husband and I
fell out.
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